University of Colorado President Betsy Hoffman broke down and cried this week while explaining her remark about how a pejorative word referring to the female anatomy could be used as a term of endearment.
Hoffman had been talking Tuesday morning to editors and reporters at the Durango Herald.
An editor asked her about a newspaper story on her use of the C-word while she was giving testimony in a deposition.
Her testimony stemmed from a question asked by one of the lawyers in a federal lawsuit filed by three women who alleged they were sexually assaulted by CU football players and recruits in December 2001.
One of the lawyers was questioning Hoffman about a claim by former CU place- kicker Katie Hnida, who said her football teammates referred to her by the C-word.
Hoffman told the lawyer that the term was a swear word. But when asked if there was any possible polite context for the word, Hoffman testified that the word could be used as a "term of endearment."
The CU president, a medieval scholar, told the Herald that she was thinking back to the 14th century poet Geoffrey Chaucer.
According to the newspaper, Hoffman said, "I was immediately sorry." She said that the lawyer "kept pushing me. He was very nasty."
"I knew as soon as I said it that it would come out in the papers," Hoffman told the Herald. "I should have said, 'Read Chaucer's The Miller's Tale. "
About that time, Hoffman began to cry.
"She just pretty much broke down in tears," said Bryan New-some, the Herald's day city editor. "It was kind of somber. Seeing somebody cry is never pleasant."
Hoffman stepped outside the room for a moment, regained her composure and resumed the interview, which had been intended to be about public financing of higher education in Colorado.
After later reading the depositions, Newsome said he could understand why Hoffman was upset.
"But at the time, I was a little surprised to see a college president break down in tears."
The flap over the deposition drew a full range of reaction from CU regents and one of the commissioners who recently investigated CU's athletic department.
Commissioner Jacqueline St. Joan said she felt Hoffman "put her foot in her mouth," with her remarks on the C-word.
"I see it as a combination of siege mentality and academic myopia about the real world," St. Joan said.
Regent Susan Kirk, however, said she felt it was inappropriate to take out of context Hoffman's brief reply within a deposition.
"I know the president would never disparage women," Kirk said.
Regent Pat Hayes said she thought the controversy over the C-word was "almost a non- story story."
Regent Jim Martin said he understood the context of Hoffman's remarks and the reference to Chaucer but added that he found Hoffman's reply "totally inappropriate."
"That is a vulgar word. She could have just admitted that," Martin said. "To dig in her heels only further tarnishes the reputation of this university."
